What we learned from the Ducks’ 2-1 shootout loss to the Canucks

Amid all the hype surrounding the Ducks this season, they have gently reminded the media that the Stanley Cup isn’t won in October. They have new personnel, and it will take time to find their identity.

They took a baby step toward that Monday but remain winless (0-1-1) two games into the season.

Here’s what we learned after their home-opening 2-1 shootout loss to the Vancouver Canucks:

1.) The power play is still an issue. The Ducks got a 4-on-3 power play in overtime and could not convert. They put only two shots on goal total in overtime.

“I don’t think we got enough shots on net,” defenseman Kevin Bieksa said. “Sometimes that’s the nature of a 4-on-3. You have all that extra room and all that extra time that you wait for the perfect opportunity. And if the perfect opportunity comes, it’s in the back of the net it looks pretty, but sometimes the simplest method might be the best.”

The Ducks were ranked 28th on the power play last season.

2.) The second line has potential. Ducks Coach Bruce Boudreau put Carl Hagelin with Ryan Kesler and Jakob Silfverberg, and the trio excelled at both ends of the rink. They held Henrik and Daniel Sedin to no shots on goal in regulation.

“I thought they did a real good job on them,” Boudreau said.

Kesler and Silfverberg also combined for 11 shots.

3.) Bieksa might play a bigger role than initially expected. It’s only been two games, but Bieksa, 34, has played more than 24 minutes each game. That’s a significant uptick from the 20:50 minutes of ice time he averaged last season.

Bieksa is paired with Hampus Lindholm and the two could be considered their top pairing, so the workload makes sense in that regard. Bieksa has said he doesn’t mind as long as they’re winning.

He liked what he saw in front of him Monday.

“We’re a pretty deep team, and we have four lines that can really play,” he said. “You saw every line going tonight, and when we can do that, we can make it very difficult for the other team’s defense. I thought [Vancouver] looked tired towards the end. I thought that’s because we pushed the pace.”